Condenser Fan: Description and Operation

All models equipped with gasoline engines, except SRT 8, use an electric cooling fan to help pull heat out of the A/C system, especially during idle conditions. Without a cooling fan, A/C high side pressures would increase and A/C system performance would eventually deteriorate.

The A/C condenser fan consists of a plastic fan blade assembly which is driven by a 12-volt direct current (DC) motor (1) with an integral wire harness connector (2). The A/C condenser fan is mounted within a plastic shroud (3) behind the A/C condenser (4) located in the left front of the engine compartment.

The A/C condenser fan used in gasoline engine equipped models (except SRT 8) is controlled by the powertrain control module (PCM). When the A/C-heater control is set to any A/C position, it sends a request signal on the CAN-B bus to the totally integrated power module (TIPM), which then transfers the request on the CAN-C Bus to the PCM/ECM, which sends a signal on a dedicated hard-wired circuit to the totally integrated power module (TIPM) to energize the internal A/C condenser fan high side driver. When energized, the A/C condenser fan high side driver provides battery current to the condenser fan motor.

The A/C condenser fan control system is diagnosed using a scan tool.

The components of the A/C condenser fan cannot be repaired and, if faulty or damaged, they must be replaced as an assembly.